New in the Literature: Physical Therapy on Balance in People With Multiple Sclerosis (J Rehabil Med. 2012. Sept 19. [Epub ahead of print])

Thursday, October 04, 2012

New in the Literature: Physical Therapy on Balance in People With Multiple Sclerosis (J Rehabil Med. 2012. Sept 19. [Epub ahead of print])

Authors
of a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine report
that their findings indicate small, but significant, effects of physical
therapy on balance in people with multiple sclerosis who have a mild to
moderate level of disability.

A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline, Cinahl, Embase, and
PEDro, both electronically and manually up to March 2011. The authors selected
randomized controlled trials of physical therapy interventions in people with
multiple sclerosis, with an outcome measure linked to the International
Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health category "changing
and maintaining body position." The quality of studies was determined by
the van Tulder criteria. Meta-analyses were performed in subgroups according to
the intervention.

Of the 233 full-text papers screened, 11 studies were included in a qualitative
analysis and 7 in a meta-analysis. The methodological quality of the studies
ranged from poor to moderate. Low evidence was found for the efficacy of
specific balance exercises, physical therapy based on an individualized
problem-solving approach, and resistance and aerobic exercises on improving
balance among ambulatory people with multiple sclerosis.